Dragon Boats are the largest flat water racing canoes in the world. For competition, each boat is decorated in traditional Chinese colours, fitted with a dragon's head at the prow and a tail at the stern. The boat seats a crew of 20 paddlers, plus a steersperson at the back and a drummer who sits or stands at the dragon head to beat the paddling rhythm for the crew. The paddles are much shorter than canoe paddles, allowing for a very swift stroke rate compared to other types of rowing or paddling.

Top speed only comes with a well-timed stroke of the blade hitting the water. The goal is to generate enough speed to cause the boat to rise high and smooth above the water by creating a cresting wave from beneath the bow. A perfectly synchronized team is not only visually spectacular, but almost always defeats a stronger, less coordinated competitor.

The dragon boats race over a course that is 400-500 metres in length. Three to four boats generally race against each other in the qualifying heats and in the final races. Typically, a seasoned Dragon Boat team will have a rate of 70-80 strokes per minute and can travel over the water at three or four meters per second. From start to finish, each race takes 2 to 4 minutes to complete, depending on the proficiency of the team. The winner of each qualifying heat will advance to the next race.